Thunbergia plant named ‘VOLTHU 7897’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Thunbergia plant named ‘VOLTHU 7897’, characterized by its upright and vining plant habit; freely branching habit; dense and bushy plant form; freely flowering habit; large red purple to light purple-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Thunbergia alata.

Cultivar denomination: ‘VOLTHU 7897’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Thunbergia plant, botanically known as Thunbergia alata, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘VOLTHU 7897’.

The new Thunbergia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Muenster, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to create new freely-flowering Thunbergia plants with unique flower colors and long flowering period.

The new Thunbergia plant originated from an open-pollination during the summer of 2013 in Muenster, Germany of an unnamed proprietary selection of Thunbergia alata, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Thunbergia alata as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Thunbergia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled environment in Muenster, Germany during the summer of 2014.

Asexual reproduction of the new Thunbergia plant by terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Muenster, Germany since the late summer of 2014 has shown that the unique features of this new Thunbergia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Thunbergia have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘VOLTHU 7897’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘VOLTHU 7897’ as a new and distinct Thunbergia plant:

-   -   1. Upright and vining plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit; dense and bushy plant form.     -   3. Freely flowering habit.     -   4. Large red purple to light purple-colored flowers.     -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Thunbergia can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Thunbergia differ from plants of the female parent selection primarily in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Thunbergia are more freely flowering than         plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Thunbergia and the female parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection         have lavender purple-colored flowers.     -   3. Plants of the new Thunbergia have better garden performance         than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Thunbergia can be compared to plants of Thunbergia grandiflora ‘Daniella’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,893. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Thunbergia differ from plants of ‘Daniella’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Thunbergia are more compact and have         shorter internodes than plants of ‘Daniella’.     -   2. Plants of the new Thunbergia have smaller leaves than plants         of ‘Daniella’.     -   3. Plants of the new Thunbergia are more freely flowering than         plants of ‘Daniella’.     -   4. Plants of the new Thunbergia have smaller flowers than plants         of ‘Daniella’.     -   5. Plants of the new Thunbergia and ‘Daniella’ differ in flower         color as plants of ‘Daniella’ have lavender (violet         blue)-colored flowers.     -   6. Plants of the new Thunbergia have better garden performance         than plants of ‘Daniella’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Thunbergia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Thunbergia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘VOLTHU 7897’ grown in an outdoor nursery.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘VOLTHU 7897’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the spring in three-liter containers in an outdoor nursery and a glass-covered greenhouse in Muenster, Germany and under cultural practices typical of commercial Thunbergia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 20° C., night temperatures ranged from 15° C. to 18° C. and light levels ranged from 5,000 to 40,000 lux. Plants were pinched one time about three weeks after planting. Plants were 16 weeks old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Thunbergia alata ‘VOLTHU 7897’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of             Thunbergia alata, not patented.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Unknown selection of Thunbergia             alata, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About one to two weeks at             temperatures about 20° C. to 25° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About two to three weeks at             temperatures about 15° C. to 23° C.         -   Time to develop roots, summer.—About three weeks at             temperatures about 20° C. to 25° C.         -   Time to develop roots, winter.—About 30 days at temperatures             about 15° C. to 23° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically yellowish white             in color, actual color of the roots is dependent on             substrate composition, water quality, fertilizer type and             formulation, substrate temperature and physiological age of             roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright and vining plant habit;             plants require support; moderately vigorous to vigorous             growth habit; moderately rapid growth rate.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit with lateral             branches potentially developing at every node; pinching             enhances lateral branch development; bushy and dense habit.         -   Plant height.—About 80 cm to 100 cm.         -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 35 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 50 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 1.5 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 14.5 cm.         -   Texture.—Slightly pubescent.         -   Strength.—Strong, flexible.         -   Color.—Close to N200A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 12 cm.         -   Width.—About 9 cm.         -   Shape.—Roughly deltoid.         -   Apex.—Acute to cuspidate.         -   Base.—Sagittate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Aspect.—Horizontal to somewhat downward.         -   Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent;             dull.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 146A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to NN137A; venation,             close to 146A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 146B; venation, proximally, close to 149D and distally,             close to 71A.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 5.5 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper             and lower surfaces: Proximally, close to N199A; distally,             close to 137A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single axillary salverform flowers;             freely flowering habit with numerous flowers developing per             plant; flowers face outward to slightly drooping.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously from             April until frost in Germany; plants begin flowering about             ten to twelve weeks after planting.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about five days on the plant;             flowers persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flower diameter.—About 4.5 cm to 5 cm.         -   Flower length (height).—About 4.5 cm to 5 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3 cm. Diameter: About 1.4 cm.             Shape: Lanceolate to deltoid. Color: Close to 144B.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: Corolla consists of five petals in a             single whorl and fused towards the base. Length: About             1.8 cm. Width: About 1.7 cm. Shape: Broadly elliptic to             rounded. Apex: Broadly emarginate. Base: Fused. Margin:             Entire, occasionally incised. Texture and luster, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: When             opening, upper surface: Close to 68C; throat, close to N77A.             When opening, lower surface: Close to 76D; tube, close to             N77A. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 76B and 76C;             throat, close to 64A; color becoming closer to 69C with             development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 76D;             tube, close to N77A.         -   Flower bracts.—Quantity and arrangement: Two, opposite.             Length: About 3.2 cm. Width: About 2 cm. Shape:             Spear-shaped. Apex: Obtuse. Base: Cordate. Margin: Entire.             Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Slightly             pubescent; matte. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             144A.         -   Sepals.—Sepal development has not been observed on plants of             the new Thunbergia.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 5.4 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Angle: About 15° from stem axis. Strength: Strong, flexible.             Texture: Densely pubescent. Color: Close to 144B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number: About four.             Filament length: About 5 mm. Filament color: Close to 11D.             Anther length: About 1 cm. Anther shape: Ovate. Anther             color: Close to 155D. Amount of pollen: None observed.             Gynoecium: Pistil number: One. Style length: About 1.7 cm.             Style color: Close to NN155D. Stigma appearance: Bi-parted.             Stigma color: Close to NN155D. Ovary color: Close to NN155D.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development has not been             observed on plants of the new Thunbergia to date. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Thunbergia have been observed     to have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind and     temperatures ranging from about 5° to about 38° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Thunbergia have not     been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Thunbergia plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Thunbergia plant named ‘VOLTHU 7897’ as illustrated and described. 